


Misthallery's Many Canals

by kirbapy



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Confessions, If anything should be tagged let me know, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kisses, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, MLM Characters, One Shot, Romance, TW for talk/referenced abuse (plot revolves around), and description of being in water (not drowning but could still be triggering), lucrow, mlm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21741826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirbapy/pseuds/kirbapy
Summary: The Black Market has a visitor, the mayor's very own son, and as rumors and stories progress from teasing of Crow's crush to a child of the specter, things grow tense and Luke runs off.
Relationships: Crow & Luke Triton, Crow/Luke Triton, Lucrow - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	Misthallery's Many Canals

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this! It takes me a while to write things, but I hope you enjoy! Critcism is welcome to help me improve always! I'm not the best at summaries haha, comments are super welcome and help motivate me a lot! I hope you enjoy :]!

As Crow adjusted his scarf, he felt a slight shiver go down his spine--Winter drew closer and closer as the days went by, though where he lived always stayed the same. Drab, dreary, and bleak. Even if it made survival more harsh, he'd always make do with The Black Ravens...His  _ friends  _ by his side. (Friends was far too strong a word for Crow's taste, though deep down, he knew it to be true.) Today was near to any other at the Black Market, everyone laughing and fooling around as items were appraised, ragged clothes mended, and the occasional scrap of food shared between dirty hands. There was one quaint exception, though.

Luke Triton, the mayor's son, the richest boy in town (and the world, for all the Black Ravens knew) was in their midst. Though it wasn't as odd as it normally would be, the occurrence were still...Peculiar. Peculiar, weird, strange--But not bad, not by any means. Though many of the members argued against it, all with the exception of Crow, they had all grown used to his company as if it were a pleasant sweet treat. But something about it still sent a warning signal of  _ some  _ kind down their spines--It was like two vastly different worlds for them, after all. Hot versus cold...And rich versus poor. 

Each person tended to prefer the company of another member in the Black Ravens--Socket to Wren, Badger to Louis, and Nabby to Scraps. Marilyn normally intermingled with all of them, having her own duties in the main market to attend to. Even so,  _ everyone _ here was family, and they had to stick together. But life on the streets had sharpened all of their senses to pick up on things that are off--A shiny coin in some rubbish, or a lost antique at a second-hand store. And with this, they all knew what was going on with Crow, and with Luke, for that matter. 

Crow had been...Well, not slacking off per se. He just had other things he had been dedicating himself to as well, outside of leading the Black Market.

The mayor's son.

In a way, it was endearing to all of them. Everyone could tell that one was pining for the other, yet neither of them would ever come close to saying it. Every time Crow talked about all the wondrous items that fell into their possessions, his eyes glinted not just with the prospect of new luxuries, but the dire need to charm, to  _ impress _ Luke with his knowledge and wit surrounding each trinket and treasure. And all of them could see it, all of them but Crow, just how adoringly Luke's eyes glinted back. As Marilyn set down one last cargo box of supplies and mishaps, she let out a prompt sigh, bringing her arm up to wipe at the sweat beading on her forehead. 

"So," Marilyn began, breaking the silence between each little intermingling group. "Has anyone noticed anything...Different lately?" she tilted her head.

Crow let out a 'tch', shrugging in discontent. "If anyone noticed anything off, it'd be  _ me. _ That's my job, after all." 

Marilyn let out a bubbly giggle, bouncing a little on her feet as she did so. "Well...Of course  _ you _ wouldn't notice. But I'm sure everyone else knows what I'm talking about...Right?" 

Crow felt himself tense up, about to burst out in vexation, but before he could, Luke placed a gentle hand on him, giving him a soft smile. "Come on, Crow, it isn't anything to get yourself all worked up about. I'm sure Marilyn's just teasing, right? Don't ruffle your feathers over it." 

Sighing, Crow felt his shoulders slump again in their familiar fashion, his skin tingling at the spot Luke touched with such tenderness and love. But before he could feel his senses fall back out of fight or flight mode, Socket's familiar scratchy voice piped up, quickly becoming the focus of the room. 

"See, that's  _ exactly _ what Marilyn is talking about, you idiots! God, and I thought  _ I _ was the only one who noticed." 

"I thought I was the only one too," Wren replied softly, her voice far more soft and sweet. 

Crow growled, pulling his arm away from Luke's touch as red quickly crept up his body as his heart rate rapidly increased in something--Something he grew used to near Luke, but not something he hated or dreaded. Something that, in his own time, Crow would realize wasn't fear.

It was embarrassment.

And it was love. 

As Crow came to his senses as to what was going on, he stood up from where he sat, irritatingly so. Storming over to the other three, Crow pointed at Socket's chest, quickly leaning in close to him. "Now listen here," Crow hissed, though it was quite clear to any of the Black Ravens that this were a meek attempt to intimidate the others--Sure, it seemed scary, but it never really worked in the end. "We are  _ not _ discussing THAT while we have..." Crow trailed off, pulling his scarf up over his face. "...A guest." 

In confusion, Luke walked back over to Crow, practically clinging to his side. "Discussing what? Come on, you invited me so I ought to know," Luke pleaded, tugging on Crow's sleeve. 

Butting in from the side, Badger leaned off the wall he had been resting on, pulling his hair back down to make sure it were still in place. "Yeah, he oughta know, right, Crow? Oughta know that 'cha have a big ol' cr--" 

Before Badger could finish, Crow rushed over to him, quickly placing his hand over Badger's chapped mouth. 

"One more word out of you, and you'll be dead bird meat, Badger." 

Badger, one of the only few who could be swayed by the shock of Crow’s intimidation tactics, nodded meekly, though still, he did so with a slight smirk as Crow pulled his hand away. 

"Besides, aren't there more important things? With that rumor that's been floating around and all,” Marilyn hummed, twirling a lock of prussian hair between her chancy fingers. “It could be quite bad for business.” 

Regaining his composure, Crow's ears perked up--In the kind of business Crow was in, all rumors had to be pursued like the very thing that keeps your blood coursing through your veins. With a slight leer, he eyed Marilyn, raising an eyebrow in intrigue. “ _ What _ rumor?” Crow queried. 

“You know--The one about the specter’s kid!” Socket called out in his familiar grating voice.   
  
“Specter’s kid?” Crow asked, his voice filled with genuine curiosity, though quickly, with a flick of his silky hair, he dismissed the idea. “Come on, that’s just rubbish and you know it. There weren’t a real specter to begin with!”    
  
“Come on,” Socket shrugged, disappointed. “Where’s your sense of fun, Crow? Maybe if I tell you the story, you’ll start to at least consider it a  _ little _ ”    
  
As Socket wiped his nose with his finger, Crow crossed his arms, glaring at Socket with his typical skepticism. “Go on,” Crow roused with a have of his calloused hands. Grinning, Socket pushed up his goggles, his own subtle way of confirmation.    
  
“Well, it all starts from the Mayor’s mansion, you see,” Socket began, his own little dark chuckle; if someone were to walk in here, well, they might very well think he was about to tell a ghost story! And a ghost story indeed he was about to share:

“Every night, as the mayor retires to his work, slowly, wailing and howling begins, sobs as loud as you’ve ever heard! Some say it’s a little banshee, others say just a regular ol’ ghost haunting the place.”    
  
At Socket droned on, Luke’s hands hands shook, gripping around Crow’s arm, his discomfort and fear visibly growing as his eyes widened. Crow noticed, though he simply patted Luke’s arm mindlessly in response, stroking it to relax him--Luke had a fear of ghosts, right? After that whole fiasco? That was sure to be all that was going on, Crow thought absentmindedly. 

“The little specter’s child wails and wails, and shouts can be heard, along with a crack, just like lightning! It’s all just rumors though, and nothing confirmed…” 

As Socket continued, Luke’s whimpering grew audible to Crow’s keen ears, and before he could think to help Luke, his own trail of thought led him elsewhere.

_ Cracking? Like lightning? _ Crow thought.  _ But knowing who lived there, cracking would be more like… _ _  
_   
“You know, the cries are just like Luke when he cries! They both are big crybabies, though not that there’s anything wrong--”

Just like that, Socket was interrupted with a thud of Crow’s hand against a crate resting just by Socket’s peanut head, creating a loud bang, shattering the lively mood just like that. 

“That’s  _ enough _ out of you, Socket.”    
  
After Crow barked, Socket gulped, stepping back with a stumble as Crow cornered in on him. 

“H-Hey, chill out, man! It’s j-just a story!” Socket stuttered, clinging on as he tried to defend himself.    
  
“Don’t you  _ understand?! _ ” Crow shouted. “Are you all daft?!”    
  
Before Crow could even continue chastising Socket, the clinging warmth on his arm squeezed before, with a quiet yelp, it left in less than the blink of an eye, leaving Crow’s arm cold--Barren.

“L-Luke!” Crow shouted, concern bubbling up in his voice as he reached out an arm to him. But before he could move, Luke was out the door, leaving the room to only God knows where. 

Gritting his teeth, Crow felt a growl rise in his throat. “Don’t think we’re done here,” said Crow, voice low and harsh. With a meek nod, Socket acknowledged him, running off to his sister like a dog with its tail between its legs. Just like that, Crow ran off too, conflicted between everyone’s safety here and finding Luke--But. Crow shook his head.

No.

Luke was more important.

  
  


\---

Crow’s lungs filled with a blazing cold fire as he ran, looking in every nook and cranny, searching for a familiar, light blue cap that he’d recognize over a mile way. He asked and he asked, every kid he saw, every adult he reluctantly had to see, every single soul in the market. 

And yet it was no help. 

Crow huffed as he finally reached a canal, where it was that he finally sat down for a moment, taking a break to rest his worn out body. Being a Black Raven meant lots of physical exertion--But still, in the rush of adrenaline, he pushed his body a little more than he intended to.   
  


Leaning down, he cupped the clear, icy water in his hands. It was one thing he appreciated about this small, quaint town. The water always so fresh and crisp, yet something about it...Was poignant. Crow stared into the water, his own visage reflecting back, shifting slightly as the water in his hands calmed down. He could see flecks of dirt float up in the water from his hands, each like a fleck of memory in his life here. Before he could dwell on it too long--He truly didn’t have time for that--He splashed it in his face, wettening his chapped lips and all the cracked areas that littered his face.

Crow shivered as the water dripped down his face. Boy, was it cold--Though he wasn’t really sure what he had expected. Cupping his hands once more, he brought the water to his lips this time, letting it fill the creases and quench his thirst, cooling the fire that licked at his lungs. 

As he pulled his hands away from his mouth to pause his drinking, with one eye open, Crow caught a glimpse.

That cool, azure blue that complemented each and every canal in the town, yet reflected the town’s dingy nature in such stark contrast. 

_ Luke. _

Luke had gone to reach for Crow’s shoulder, but by the time Crow had caught eye of him, Luke was running away, fear rushing through his veins. 

And in turn, Crow ran like he never had before. He ran, his feet begging for a break as they were abused by each hard hit on the ground, each hit tapping loud like a bang of drums in Crow’s ears. Crow ran through streets he knew like the back of his hand, but were unrecognizable to him now. He took every turn and twist Luke did, took every step and misstep, avoiding the questioning glare of any who crossed by him. 

The sun was low on the horizon now, blazing into Crow’s eyes, though thankfully, his hair filtered and protected one eye--Though not by much. By now, Crow wasn’t sure if it was the sun or the stinging in his heart that felt like salt in a wound.

But he felt like crying. 

Finally, the blur in the distance that Crow chased after slowed, leaning down on one of the small bridges that crossed the gap between the sides of the canals, their orangish hues only brillianted by the assault of the sun. 

Crow didn’t stop running, though his feet certainly didn’t keep up with his brain now, clutching onto his side as cramps from running grew to be too strong and the pressure in his ears still refused to cease. Luke sat too close to the edge of the bridge for comfort, and finally, Crow reached his crouched over form, leaning down on his knees desperately as he desperately searched for breath. 

“Luke, I--” Crow panted, using his scarf to try and wipe the sweat off his face. 

But before he could continue, Luke interrupted him. It was apparent now, from the way Luke’s body shook, shivering, clinging on to his sides as if he was the last of his kind, the last leaf on a winter tree. 

“Why do you want to see me?!” Luke sobbed, his voice breaking.    
  
“Why? Do you want to take pity on me? Do you want to ask me all these questions? Do you want to  _ help  _ me? Is that it? You think of me like a--A stupid weakling!” 

Crow’s breath hitched, slowly bringing an arm up to his sides, unable to find what words he wanted to use. 

“I don’t want you to see me like this! I--I don’t deserve to be with you at all; you don’t deserve to have to even be near someone like me! I just--” 

“Leave me  _ alone _ !” 

And with one final sob, Luke disappeared from Crow’s vision, blurring down into the canal below. It looked shallow, like nothing on the outside, but as Luke splashed down into the canal, deeper and deeper the water went, enveloping his form, until it lay all the way deep into its depths.

And without a second thought, Crow stripped off his scarf, jumping straight into the water with him, allowing the water to accept him just as it did Luke. He weren’t escaping Crow--If Luke thought he could avoid Crow, just because he didn’t ‘deserve him’, well, he thought wrong. 

Crow gazed through the water, quickly identifying Luke’s body, urgently wrapping it around his, bringing them both up to the water’s surface where they rose so fast. It was like  _ they _ were the ones interrupting physics, just for this brief moment together. 

When they reached the surface, Luke began coughing roughly, though thankfully, no water came out of his mouth, meaning he only stayed under by choice. Crow dragged Luke with him to the shore, where they both promptly collapsed, the water clinging to them through their clothes, chilling them to the bone, just like ice.    
  
“I--” Luke began, his teeth chattering as he were hesitant in his words. Crow still had his head tilted back and arms propping him up, still trying to regain his breath, though his ears perked up as Luke’s soft voice rang.   
  
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to say,” Luke muttered.    
  
“Then don’t say anything,” Crow said. “Silence never hurt anyone.” 

And so they sat, there regaining their breath which they lost once from running, and now, to the water, slowly returning to them. 

Breaking the silence, Luke scooted closer to Crow on the ground, the heat from their bodies ever so slightly felt even through the gap between their bodies.    
  
“So you know,” Luke stated, a sigh of anxiety leaving his body   
  
“Know what?” Crow asked in reply.   
  
“About my father.” 

Shifting, Crow brought a hand up to gently ruffle the hair at the back of his head, trying to shake some of the water out, though it really didn’t do much, his usual hair being muted to a dull, blackish grey color.   
  
“Yeah,” Crow replied, his eyes glued onto the sky before them, the last glimpses of daylight peeking through each building, illuminating everything around them. They sat in silence again, though it wasn’t long before Crow piped up again.

“The sky’s pretty,” Crow muttered.    
  
“Mm,” Luke hummed in reply. 

Crow finally let out a long held in groan.

“Enough of this whatever silence pander!” he shouted, quickly turning around to Luke, his eyes invigorated. It really  _ did _ only take a few minutes for Crow to bound back up, even more energetic than before.

  
Luke only looked at him, his face reddening and growing in surprise.    
  
“Wh-What?? Why did y--”    
  
Crow shushed him. 

  
“Ah, ah, listen!” Crow replied, his voice nearly grinning just as much as he was.    
  
Luke simply gave a small, meek nod in response. 

“Come live with us, join us! You can become a Black Raven!” Crow clamored, lighting up with a flash of ingenuity in his body.    
  
“ _ Excuse _ me?” Luke asked, barely unable to process what Crow had said. 

“You heard me right!” Crow exclaimed. “You’ll be able to escape, escape your stupid father, escape that stupid mansion, escape so after, you can join the Professor, escape so you can--” Crow trailed off, his voice growing lower, more meek, even. 

“Can be with… Me.” Quickly, Crow felt blood rising to his face. 

“N-Not in a weird sense, just like, you know, as the two of us, as we always been, haha!” 

_ Damn it _ , Crow cursed at himself inside his head. He sounded so idiotic right now.

Instead, Luke began to laugh in earnest in turn, his giggles echoing, bubbling up as Crow’s eyes grew wide and lit up with Luke’s voice. 

“Wh--Why are you laughing at me?!” Crow protested, feeling his grip grow tighter as his heart beat only pounded faster.    
  
“No, no, it’s just…” Luke trailed off, wiping a tear away from his eye. 

“I’ve never wanted something so much before.” 

As what Luke said processed to both him and Crow, both of their embarrassment only grew. Before either of them could clam up even more, Crow felt something spark inside him, and he mentally set a foot down.    
  
“You heard what all of the Black Ravens were talking about, before--Before all of that, right??” Crow asked, his voice rushed and leaking with anxiety as it felt like there were butterflies in his stomach.    
  
“U-Umm, a bit, yeah..?” Luke replied, a bit confused as to where he was going.    
  
“Well I--It was about me, and you and, well, it’s sudden right now, not that the feeling are, just the, the timing, and, well,” Crow groaned, trying to get himself to the point. 

“I like you.”    
  
Luke let out a yip, feeling himself jolt.   
  
“You...Like me?” Luke asked, as if the words Crow said didn’t really hit him. Once again, Crow only repeated himself.   
  
“I like you.”    
  
Everything swirled around Luke--He felt like he was about to faint. Was this all just some bad dream, leading up to the happiest ending?

“You like me,” Luke echoed, his voice dazed.    
  
Crow felt his hands shake even more now, reaching up for Luke’s face, trying to console him. “No, no, no,” Crow repeated, his eyes filling with worry, his eyes shining with tears ready to spill, yet held back in such hesitation. “Have I done something wrong? Can I fix it? Can I do anything? Can I--” 

Before Crow could keep rambling, Luke managed to bring himself up to courage, perhaps some of the adrenaline from before aiding him in leaning up and tilting his head, quickly pressing their lips together, just long enough for Luke to notice little details--How chapped yet  _ soft _ Crow’s lips were, how hesitant and scared they felt, and just how… Right it was. 

Before Crow could feel every bit of what just hit him, Luke pulled away, tilting his face away from Crow’s and covering it up in embarrassment. 

“..Oh,” was all Crow had to say in response. Before he could go thinking on it too much, Luke’s voice broke his thoughts again.    
  
“That--That was supposed to mean I like you too, right??” Luke hissed in question, his voice urgent in distress. 

“Y-Yeah, that’s, uh, that’s what it means,” Crow answered, unable to look Luke in his eyes. 

Luke let out another small sob, tears trailing down his face as he couldn’t help but feel so happy--The tears were sweet, dribbling down his face, just like dews of honey.    
  


“N-Now why are you crying??” Crow asked.

“I--I’m just so, so happy,” Luke sobbed, wiping his tears away from his face, though it only made them smudged.    
  
Crow let out a small, warm smile, looking at Luke so, so lovingly. 

“You’re such a dork,” Crow retorted.    
  
“A-Am not!” Luke barked back. 

“Whatever.” 

Crow sat up, extending a hand out to Luke, pulling him up as he adjusted his hat. “Let’s go now, okay? Go home.”    
  
“Y-Yeah,” Luke sniffled. “That sounds nice.” 

Crow held Luke’s hand, leading him gently back up to the bridge, grabbing his scarf and slinging it over his shoulder--It were still too damp to wear. They walked now, their footsteps in sync as they continued to keep their hands clung together, each step feeling like a weight off their shoulders.    
  
“Hey, um, Crow?” Luke piped up.    
  
“Hm?” Crow replied.   
  
“I love you.” 

Crow chuckled, brushing Luke’s bangs back, gently placing a kiss on his forehead as they swung arm in arm together.   
  
“I love you too, my Bluebird.” 


End file.
